DIMENSIONS AND FEATURES OF SHIP

The hull form of a ship may be defined by a number of dimensions and terms which are
often referred to during and after building the vessel. An explanation of the principal
terms is given below:

1 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
2 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
3 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
4 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
5 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
6 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
7 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
8 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
DIMENSION DESCRIPTION
After Perpendicular (AP) A perpendicular drawn to the waterline at
the point where the aft side of the rudder
post meets the summer load line.

Where no rudder post is fitted it is taken as

the centre line of the rudder stock.
Amidships A point midway between the after and
forward perpendiculars.
Base Line A horizontal line drawn at the top of the
keel plate. All vertical moulded dimensions
are measured relative to this line.
Bilge Radius It is the radius of plating joining the side
shell to the bottom shell.

It is measured amidships.
Beam (B) The breadth of the ship at the broadest
point is called the beam.
Camber (or Round of Beam) Curvature of decks in the transverse
direction. Measured as the height of deck
at centre above the height of deck at side.

This represents the curvature in an

athwartship or transverse vertical plane; it
is the height of the deck at the centerline
above the height at the side.
Capacity is determined by deducting from
Cargo Deadweight
total deadweight the weight of fuel, water,
stores, dunnage, crew passengers, and
other items necessary for use on a
voyage.

9 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
Deadrise or Rise of Floor The athwartship rise of the bottom from
the keel to the bilge.
Deadweight It is the difference between the
displacement light and the displacement
loaded.
Displacement Volume (V) The displacement volume is the total
volume of the underwater hull at any given
waterline.
Displacement (W or ∆) The displacement is the weight of the
water of the displaced volume of the ship;
The weight of the ship excluding cargo,
Displacement, Light
fuel, ballast, stores, passengers, crew,
but with water in boilers to steaming level.
The weight of the ship including cargo,
Displacement, Loaded
passengers, fuel, water, stores, dunnage
and such other items necessary for use
on a voyage, which brings the ship down
to her load draft.
The height of the ship from the upper
Depth(D)
deck to the keel measured amidships at
the side.
Draft or Draught (d or T) The vertical distance between the
waterline and the deepest part of the ship
at any point along the length is the draft.
Drafts are usually measured at the
forward, Tf, and the aft, Ta, perpendiculars
although they can also be defined at the
fore and aft draft marks which may not
coincide with the perpendiculars. The
mean draft, Tm, is the average of the
forward and aft drafts.
Entrance The immersed body of the vessel forward
of the parallel middle body.
Extreme Beam The maximum beam taken over all
extremities.
Extreme Depth Depth of vessel at ship's side from upper
deck to lowest point of keel.
Extreme Draft Taken from the lowest point of keel to the
summer load line.
Flare The outward curvature of the side shell
above the waterline.

10 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
 The slant upward and outward from the
vertical of a transverse section of a hull
above the design waterline.

It directs the waves away from the

forecastle.

It promotes dryness and is therefore

associated with the fore end of ship.
Forward Perpendicular (FP) A perpendicular drawn to the waterline at
the point where the foreside of the stem
meets the summer load line.
Freeboard (F) This is the distance between the waterline
and the uppermost watertight deck at any
location along the ship.
Gross Tonnage The entire internal cubic capacity of the
ship expressed in tons of 100 cubic feet
to the ton, except certain spaces which
are exempted, such as:

(1) peak and other tanks for water ballast;

(2) spaces above the uppermost

continuous deck, such as: open
forecastle, bridge and poop, certain light
and air spaces, domes of skylights,
condenser, anchor gear, steering gear,
wheel house, galley and cabins for
passengers.
Half Breadth Since a ship's hull is symmetrical about the
longitudinal centre line, often only the half
beam or half breadth at any section is
given.
IMO Length
It is defined as 96 per cent of the total
length on a waterline at 85 per cent of the
least moulded depth measured from
the top of keel, or the length from the
fore-side of stem to the axis of
rudder stock on that waterline, if that is
greater. In ships designed with a rake of
keel the waterline on which this length is
measured is taken parallel to the
design waterline.

11 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
 This length is found in various
international conventions such as
the Load Line, Tonnage and SOLAS
conventions
Determines the application of
requirements of those conventions to a
ship.
Keel Rake Inclination of the keel line from the
horizontal.

Trawlers and tugs often have keels raked

aft to give greater depth aft where the
propeller diameter is proportionately
larger in this type of vessel. Small craft
occasionally have forward rake of keel to
bring propellers above the line of keel.
Length between Perpendiculars (LBP or The horizontal distance between the
L) forward and aft perpendiculars is called
the length between perpendiculars. It is
constant for a given ship and does not
depend on the loading condition of the
ship.
Length on Waterline (LWL) This is the length along the centerline at
the waterline in the ship's design loaded
condition.
Length Overall (LOA) Length of vessel taken over all extremities.

The extreme length of the ship along the

centerline is called the length overall.
Moulded Beam Measured from the inside of ship's side
amidships.
Moulded Depth Measured from the base line to the heel of
the upper deck beam at the ship's side
amidships.
Moulded Draft Measured from the base line to the
summer load line at the midship section.
Net Tonnage Net tonnage is obtained by deducting
from the gross tonnage, crew and
navigating spaces and an allowance for
the space occupied by the propelling
machinery.

The tonnage most frequently used for the

calculation of tonnage taxes and the
assessment of charges for wharfage and
12 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
 other port dues.
Parallel Middle Body The length over which the midship section
remains constant in area and shape.
Register Length is the length of ship measured from the
fore-side of the head of the stem to the aft
side of the head of the stern post or, in
the case of a ship not having a stern post,
to the fore-side of the rudder stock.

If the ship does not have a stern post or a

rudder stock, the after terminal is taken to
be the aftermost part of the transom
or stern of the ship.

This length is the official length in the

register of ships maintained by the flag
state and appears on official documents
relating to ownership and other matters
concerning the business of the ship.
Run The immersed body of the vessel aft of the
parallel middle body.
Sheer The difference between the design trim
freeboard at any point and that of the
midship section. The sheer line is the line
of intersection of the main or weather deck
with the side of the ship.
Curvature of decks in the longitudinal
direction. Measured as the height of deck
at side at any point above the height of
deck at side amidships.
Stem Rake Inclination of the stem line from the
vertical.
Tumblehome The inward curvature of the side shell
above the summer load line.

The slant inward from the vertical of a

transverse section of a hull above the
design waterline.

Tumble home is the opposite of flare.

A small amount of tumblehome is normal

in many naval architecture designs in
order to allow any small projections at

13 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
 deck level to clear wharves.

This design feature is typically found on

boats and ships that are designed for
speed, such as racing boats and military
vessels.

Tumblehome can help to increase stability

and reduce drag, making the boat or ship
more maneuverable and efficient.

When you hear the term “tumblehome” in

relation to boats and ships, you might be
wondering what it actually means.
Tumblehome refers to the inward slope of
a vessel’s hull towards the centerline of
the boat, as it rises towards the top. It is an
important design feature that serves many
different functions on a ship, including
providing stability and optimizing
efficiency.

One of the primary functions of

tumblehome is that it helps to reduce the
amount of water resistance that a ship
encounters as it moves through the water.
This is because the inward sloping hull
creates a narrower profile at the waterline,
which lowers the overall drag on the boat.
This can be especially important for larger
vessels, where reducing drag can help to
improve their fuel efficiency and decrease
operating costs.

Another key function of tumblehome is that

it can make a vessel more stable in rough
seas. By sloping inwards towards the
centerline, the hull is able to distribute the
weight of the ship more evenly and reduce
the effects of rolling and pitching caused
by wave action. This can improve both the
comfort and safety of passengers and
crew members aboard the vessel, as it
minimizes the risk of capsizing or other
accidents in extreme weather conditions.

14 Eng. H. Z. Msumi
 In addition to its stability and efficiency
benefits, tumblehome can also play a role
in the design and aesthetics of a ship.
Some shipbuilders may use an
exaggerated tumblehome to create a more
dramatic, eye-catching appearance for
their vessel, while others may opt for a
more subtle incline to blend in with other
boats in their class. Regardless of the style
or degree of tumblehome used, it is an
essential design feature that impacts the
performance and operation of a ship in a
number of ways.

Tumblehome is an important design

feature on boats and ships that serves a
diverse range of functions, from improving
efficiency and stability to enhancing the
vessel’s appearance. Whether you are a
boating enthusiast, a shipbuilder or simply
curious about the inner workings of these
complex machines, understanding the role
of tumblehome is key to appreciating the
many intricacies of marine design and
technology.

15 Eng. H. Z. Msumi